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alp227

(32,034 posts) Sun Aug 19, 2012, 07:10 PM Aug 2012

Biofuel fails EU sustainability test, German researchers claim

Source: The Guardian

The growing row over biofuels is ready to flare up again with German researchers claiming to have found evidence that European-produced biodiesel does not meet the sustainability targets claimed by Brussels.

Two experts at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena say eight out of their 10 tests on locally produced rapeseed biodiesel failed to show the 35% greenhouse gas savings promised. In most cases it was under 30%. The use of biofuels would be further undermined when the EU emissions target increases, as planned, to 50% in five years' time.

Gernot Pehnelt and Christoph Vietze also claim their work has been undermined by a lack of co-operation from the European Union which they believe is on the defensive over championing local energy crops.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/19/biofuel-fails-eu-sustainabilty-test

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Biofuel fails EU sustainability test, German researchers claim (Original Post) alp227 Aug 2012 OP

Plus biofuels such as ethanol waste food resources. Crowman1979 Aug 2012 #1

The use of biofuels to reduce air pollution and save oil has been a fraud from the start. AdHocSolver Aug 2012 #2

Crowman1979

(3,844 posts)

1. Plus biofuels such as ethanol waste food resources.

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Sun Aug 19, 2012, 10:00 PM

Aug 2012

AdHocSolver

(2,561 posts)

2. The use of biofuels to reduce air pollution and save oil has been a fraud from the start.

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Mon Aug 20, 2012, 02:21 AM

Aug 2012

I proved to myself a long time ago that ethanol reduces gasoline mileage noticeably.

On a 400 mile trip to visit relatives several years ago, I filled the tank of my compact car with 10-percent ethanol fuel, drove 150 miles and then filled up with non-ethanol gas in a rural gas station that sold it.

After driving another 150 miles, I filled the tank again. These were highway miles in both cases. The ethanol gas provided about 30 miles per gallon, while the non-ethanol gas gave about 33 MPG. This was about 10 percent better mileage without ethanol, than the gas with 10 percent added ethanol.

I got similar results on the return trip and on subsequent trips. On more recent trips, all the available gasoline had added ethanol.

When you factor in the reduced fuel mileage, the oil needed to plant and grow crops for ethanol, the increased pollution from the poorer fuel mileage, and the higher cost of food due to food processors having to compete with oil companies for raw materials, then the biofuels turn out to be just another scam.

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